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But ... you were still living in Jersey. As a native New Yorker I have an emotional block which would keep me from ever doing that.
Quick question: Is the Statue of Liberty in NY or NJ? How one answers is the key.
I would have felt that way 30 years ago, but not in this century. At least half of Manhattan no longer feels like old unique Manhattan, so it does not seem that different to me whether you live in a glass building in Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan or in a glass building in Jersey City (or Long Island City) - it's the same new ambience. Even if you live in a historic building in Manhattan, your window view likely includes the new tall glass buildings which could just as well be in Singapore or on Mars.
I worked summer jobs in Mahattan during high school and always love the classic buildings. The upper east side was quiet but lower Mahattan has the old classic buildings. Also love the CPE and CPW for their tree-lined streets.
But what takes my breathes away is driving along the Sawmill River Parkway north of Westchester around the Hasting-on-Hudson, especially in the fall with the leaves changing colors.
Of course, I wouldn't know what it's really like to live there. The reality sets in doing everyday practical stuff, such as groceries shopping. I'm so used to carry groceries (sometimes in a shopping cart) to the parking lot then put them in my trunk. I'm not sure how I'd react if I need to carry the groceries and walk 10 blocks, then 3 flight of stairs to my little brownestone.
I would not live in a building where I have to walk up three fights of stairs to my apartment, so that's not something to worry about. Forty years ago, maybe, to live in a cool neighborhood with brownstones. Not at 65, which I am as of today.
Yes, that area north of Westchester is beautiful, but that's not the city, so I might as well stay here in New Jersey, which has a gorgeous autumn. Or move upstate and never live in the city, which may well happen. I was in Ontario for the last two autumns, which was even better, but alas, Canada does not want retirees and my reason for moving there died in March.
Would be lovely to live around Central Park, but I'd have to hit the lottery for that, and I rarely play.
Third place is Pittsburgh, where my daughter moved to last year and where she would like me to live, but I don't know about that. It IS on one of those lists of good retirement places for its public transit system.
I would have felt that way 30 years ago, but not in this century. At least half of Manhattan no longer feels like old unique Manhattan, so it does not seem that different to me whether you live in a glass building in Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan or in a glass building in Jersey City (or Long Island City) - it's the same new ambience. Even if you live in a historic building in Manhattan, your window view likely includes the new tall glass buildings which could just as well be in Singapore or on Mars.
I wouldn't be so worried about my window view, but rather my working life, which means an office just south of the WTC and attending events at various venues around Manhattan with the occasional foray into Brooklyn or Queens, and easy access to all the things there are to do in the city when I am not working. I do have great views from my office windows, though!
I get what you're saying, though. Not thrilled with the look of most of the new supertalls.
Again, last night a major thunderstorm, we didn't lose power or trees.I took dad for a brief ride down the 2-lane highway from our rode. Couple trees down on our road but hitting a 2-mile area I looked like a tornado hit it. Trees down everywhere. I drove thru there to the store, and it was devasting. Trees down everywhere, left and right. I took Dad and told him to look, I had already seen it both ways. I ended up feeling to thankful and grateful to live where I do.........I thought for sure we would have trees down but no, just some limbs.
I'm staying put!
That reminds me,I'm changing my choice from a place in the woods to probably a farm or desert area. I had enough with the trees down and power outages when we lived in WA.
For those of you fantasizing about living in Manhattan, may I remind you what it'll be like when something like COVID strikes again.
We were there sometimes in 2020 and major street like 42nd & 5th Ave were DEAD. How were you able to get food & supplies is beyond me.
Plus the place got taken over by homeless etc until civilization started coming back...scary.
I'd rather live in a dead area with no zombies milling around...just nature.
Plus the place got taken over by homeless etc until civilization started coming back...scary.
I'd rather live in a dead area with no zombies milling around...just nature.
Ridiculous. The active meth labs & covid deniers/super-spreaders I didn't count as "civilization" during that era in some of the rural areas. Many of the misguided who moved out of the city during covid are now trying to return once they realized they are isolated in 'burbs and totally dependent on a vehicle for every minor thing. But the price of housing has continued to rise for those short-sighted enough to even sell then.
Living around nature in one's senior years is okay if you like driving for everything & isolation, particularly keeping in mind if one experiences a sudden physical emergency. I know some people prefer that to city streets... vive la difference!
I would have felt that way 30 years ago, but not in this century. At least half of Manhattan no longer feels like old unique Manhattan, so it does not seem that different to me whether you live in a glass building in Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan or in a glass building in Jersey City (or Long Island City) - it's the same new ambience. Even if you live in a historic building in Manhattan, your window view likely includes the new tall glass buildings which could just as well be in Singapore or on Mars.
Honestly, the bolded is true for almost all of Manhattan south of 125 Street. I suggest to newbies/returnees to be checking out neighborhoods in Queens or Brooklyn instead, not LIC/Williamsburg unless one is quite well off (and even that isn't going to stop the future street flooding there due to our climate changes, by the time they figure out solutions most of us will be gone from this earth).
Interesting, safe neighborhoods not very costly with water views: Bay Terrace, Bayside, Spuyten Duyvil, Hudson Heights... there are more but maybe too far from Manhattan for most. Honestly after a while I only go there for the occasional show/concert/Dr's visit... a month or two between visits. Most of Manhattan now consists of corporate pharmacies, banks, mediocre "delis", young people on their first job & swarms of tourists.
Like anyplace else you list all amenities you want, add what you will need in future years & prepare to sacrifice 1-2 when you decide.
ETA: And as to the bolded I realize that any generation could've said that at any time. You know the old saying "NYC will be nice once they finish building it."
Right where I am now in my own home on a quiet street next door to my brother and down the road from my nephew, in the same city as my daughter.
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